Hi All,
I'm in the process of getting my hunting licence and plan on going for deer with a rifle.
My only centerfire rifle is a Swiss K31 but I have been thinking about a Marlin 336 in 30-30 for quite some time.
I have only ever hunted out in the northeast, where 30-30 is quite the solid deer round. K31/7.5x55 has greater range, accuracy, energy. Though the rifle is 2lb heavier.
In shorts there any material advantage that the 336 has over the K31?
(I imagine ammo selection/availability is one...for now at least)
Much obliged,
-dgfd

I'm opens to hunting anywhere in the state.
So as it stands now it seems to come down to the likelihood of >250m shots versus the likelihood of begin incondor land. Im a transplant, so this may be a dumb question butt...which is the more likely scenario, looking at the state as a whole?
Thx

Marlin 30-30 is a great rifle and a great round.
If ammo is an issue you should look in to loading your own for either. I only use iron sights on my 30-30 but if you added optics you would have no problem reaching out at >250

Is this just a Deer rifle? Or will you be hunting other critters with it later on?
A scoped rifle is the way to go here in Ca. But 30-30's are cool and you will just have to get a bit closer.
Anything from a .243 to a 30-06 (and everything in between) will kill the crap out of a deer. No need for a Magnum

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If I didn't have this gun the King of England could just come in here and start pushing you around. Do you want that, well do ya? - Homer Simpson

Like other people have suggested could we talk you into a .270 or something that shoots a little flatter and hits harder? You will be able to find the ammo anywhere and even the lead free stuff will take down game at longer ranges. Out west here there is a much greater chance for a longer shot where something like a 7mm or .270 or similar would be great and also would allow you to move to larger game like big hogs or elk also.

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Hi All,
I'm in the process of getting my hunting licence and plan on going for deer with a rifle.
My only centerfire rifle is a Swiss K31 but I have been thinking about a Marlin 336 in 30-30 for quite some time.
I have only ever hunted out in the northeast, where 30-30 is quite the solid deer round. K31/7.5x55 has greater range, accuracy, energy. Though the rifle is 2lb heavier.
In shorts there any material advantage that the 336 has over the K31?
(I imagine ammo selection/availability is one...for now at least)
Much obliged,
-dgfd

Naw go with a Modern Sporting Rifle(AR-15) in a deer caliber like 6.5MM Grendel. It will be fun, effective and annoy the hell out of your Liberal friends.

That K31 is just as good as any thirty cal commonly used for hunting, like 30-06 or .308. You can always, easily, get a St. Marie scope mount, which doesn't damage the gun, if you want to scope it. I have plans to hunt with a K31 and take a deer.

While reloading might seem like a formidable hobby, if you were only interested in reloading for a single caliber, 7.5x55 Swiss, it is pretty easy. I just mention that because of the lead free issue.

Myself, I would take a pass on the 30-30. I think there are so many other better and more useful rounds out there; 243, 25-06, anything in 6.5 mm, 270, and the venerable 30-06.

wow, y'all're great. thank you all for the great input on every front. you've helped me make up my mind. for the time being i'll just use the k31 and if after my first season, a civilian rifle looks like it will make more sense to lug around in the woods and what not, i will look into the .270s and the like.
thanks again,
-dgfd

UPDATE:
Stopped by an LGS cos a friend is in the market for somethign new. Long story short, I'm a hypocrite. I bought a 30-30 lever on the spot, though in my defense it's a WCF-marked Winchester 94 whose price was too good to pass up.
-dgfd

lol. That $ was going to kill you if it sat in your pocket any longer eh? "Poison the blood stream!"

Anyways since you've been in the military you probably know about good footwear as that's probably the most important piece of hunting equipment a person can own.

I urge you to start hitting the research (reading, online, googe maps, topo maps,) and then get some boot leather to the ground scouting this summer so you have a good idea of places to go this coming season. Have more than one b/c inevitably some yahoo will wreck one or more of them.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by deckhandmike

I've gone to cabelas outfitter pattern for the central coast. Works so good the animals and I never see each other.

I use a .270 for deer. That being said my next rifle will be a scoped 30-30 with see through rings. In my experience iron sights are better at under 100 yards. The see through rings make it so you can use a scope for a long range shot but still be able to use the rifles iron sights if you stumble across a buck at close range. Nothing worse than missing a 20 yard shot because you can only use the scope and you didn't compensate enough for such close range.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

"9mm is for killing Europeans. For truly dangerous people you need a .45."

Quote:

Originally Posted by fighterpilot562

I showed up naked to ur house with cake. But you weren't home. YOur wife maced me. And I was arrested

Something to think about is when I went to Big 5 the other day, they were all out of 308, 270, etc...but they had plenty of 30-06 both in soft point lead, and non-lead. No idea...I guess not as many guys these days use a 30-06, but I do.

I use a .270 for deer. That being said my next rifle will be a scoped 30-30 with see through rings. In my experience iron sights are better at under 100 yards. The see through rings make it so you can use a scope for a long range shot but still be able to use the rifles iron sights if you stumble across a buck at close range. Nothing worse than missing a 20 yard shot because you can only use the scope and you didn't compensate enough for such close range.

I used the see through rings a long time ago they don't really work that great. I like a gun I can shoulder with my eyes closed and be in the right spot to see the sight every time. With the see through rings your scope is too high when you shoulder the gun and when your using the open sights its just not that open. If your concern is finding game in a scope at close range get a 1or 2 on the low end of the scope.
I have no problem with 20yds and finding game in the scope when dialed down to 3. My fist Cali boar was a 25yds shot. The scope was set on 9 power found his ears and let him have it. From then on my scope starts on the lowest power if I find an animal far away I have more time to get the shot so I start turning it up as i find my rest.

wow, y'all're great. thank you all for the great input on every front. you've helped me make up my mind. for the time being i'll just use the k31 and if after my first season, a civilian rifle looks like it will make more sense to lug around in the woods and what not, i will look into the .270s and the like.
thanks again,
-dgfd

UPDATE:
Stopped by an LGS cos a friend is in the market for somethign new. Long story short, I'm a hypocrite. I bought a 30-30 lever on the spot, though in my defense it's a WCF-marked Winchester 94 whose price was too good to pass up.
-dgfd

Id get some of those hornady leverrevolution bullets or whatever they are called with the soft pointy nose. They shoot a considerable amount better then the flat nosed ones and should help that 30-30 out quite a bit.

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Ok - Here's my two cents:
I bought a Winchester Model 70 in .270 cal back in the mid-80's, part of that deal was I traded in my Marlin 336 30-30. I've deer and various critters from the deserts of AZ, to the woodlands of NC - in all kinds of weather. It has never failed me, (when I've done my part) anyways here's a pic the gun:
(FYI - The scope is 3X9 Burris )

__________________ "The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke speech of 23 April 1770, "Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents," delivered to the House of Commons.

If you do end up looking for a good deer gun, its hard to beat the savage trophy hunter XP from budsgunshop.com. I have about 460 in mine plus the DROS and its a great little gun. Detachable box mag, Accutrigger, free floating bbl, and synthetic stock. I painted the stock to look a bit better than plain black, or you can get the wooden version if you want a nicer looking gun although a bit heavier. You can get them from .223 up to .300wm and maybe larger but I have never seen them. The model 16 in the same series is the stainless and a bit more money.

Ok - Here's my two cents:
I bought a Winchester Model 70 in .270 cal back in the mid-80's, part of that deal was I traded in my Marlin 336 30-30. I've deer and various critters from the deserts of AZ, to the woodlands of NC - in all kinds of weather. It has never failed me, (when I've done my part) anyways here's a pic the gun:
(FYI - The scope is 3X9 Burris )

That looks just like what I bought this past year. Went into my LGS set on a Remington 700 in 30.06 (the gun of my youth) but found my sweet Winchester 70 in .270, topped with a Leupold 4-10x scope, barely used for just under $600. Never looked back.

I've taken a few deer with one of my '94s in 30-30 (no optics). It's a great choice for hunting in brush. However, I've been thinking about loading up some Barnes Bullets in 7.5 Swiss brass and hunting with a K31 with irons. Lead free 7.5 isn't hard to load at all.

Ok - Here's my two cents:
I bought a Winchester Model 70 in .270 cal back in the mid-80's, part of that deal was I traded in my Marlin 336 30-30. I've deer and various critters from the deserts of AZ, to the woodlands of NC - in all kinds of weather. It has never failed me, (when I've done my part) anyways here's a pic the gun:
(FYI - The scope is 3X9 Burris )

Well I did make up my mind but I dont doubt that if deer hunting tickles my fancy I will get another. I did not know what the .270 was a necked down 30-06. Was that was the garand was originally was chambered in?
Thanks for the tip on the Leverevolution ammo.
I have a .357DW 6" that I want to use for short range deer hunting. Would a Contender in 30-40 make more sense?
(Weight is a big concern to me)

I have a Winchester lever action model 94, oh and the .270 is one of the flattest shooting rounds on the market.

IMO only the eccentric hunter uses a sidearm to hunt deer, unless they just want to see how a pistol does, or it’s just their thing. A pistol would be okay for bayed up hogs or for backup bear protection. If you decide to hunt deer with a pistol the Thompson Contender is the better of the two. The .357 DW is suitable for bayed up hogs but not for a large charging angry bear, I would go with at least a 44 mag. for backup only.

Not to be too picky but the case length of a 30-06 is 2.494 inches while the case length of a .270 is 2.540 inches. The headspace dimensions are different also, the 270 has the shoulder moved forward to keep people from chambering the 270 cartridge in a 30.06 gun.